This invention relates to the sewing of fabrics and more particularly to sewing stitches on a canvas to form a design.
Embroidery is the art of sewing a decorative design by hand on a backing such as linen or canvas. When canvas is used, the art form is characterized as "needlepoint" or "canvas embroidery".
Needlepoint is distinguished from other forms of embroidery such as crewel embroidery in that in needlepoint the stitches are formed by passing yarn or thread through openings in the canvas which are in the array of a grid. As used herein needlpoint includes pulled thread embroidery.
"Canvas" as used herein corresponds to its meaning in needlepoint terminology and includes both "mono" or "uni" canvas and "Penelope" canvas whether constructed of fiber such as cotton or of plastic such as polypropylene. Mono or uni canvas is constructed of strands (in the case of fiber) or single filaments (in the case of plastic) which are crosshatched at right angles to form square openings of a uniform size. Penelope canvas is constructed of pairs of strands or filaments closely spaced which form the crosshatch. The size of the openings caused by the spacing of the strands and filaments is called the mesh. The mesh size is the count of openings per one linear inch of canvas. Typically needlepoint canvas ranges from 3 to 24 mesh.
"STITCH" in upper case letters as used herein refers to a particular species of stitches such as Gobelin Droit, Cross, Smyrna or the like. "Stitch" in lower case letters refers to the genus itself and includes all STITCHES.
An unlimited number of decorative fabrics may be formed using needlepoint techniques. These fabrics may vary in STITCH, yarn thickness, variations in STITCH throughout the workpiece, varying yarn colors, etc. Although many craftspersons create their own design while sewing a fabric or create a design on paper and reproduce it in the fabric, a primary source of designs is provided with packaged kits containing pattern, yarn and canvas or the patterns are sold separately.
There are essentially five variables in each design: (1) yarn thickness, (2) yarn color, (3) STITCH, (4) stitch placement, and (5) canvas grid size. The yarn thickness and canvas grid size can be readily indicated by simple directions on the pattern while stitch placement, STITCH, and yarn color (in multi-color designs) are more complicated to show.
In embroidery on linen or similar material, the pattern is printed on the fabric and the craftsperson merely sews over the pattern. This technique is not feasible in needlepointing designs based on geometric shapes dependent on variation in STITCHES. Further, since the canvas is substantially air space, printing of STITCH instructions are futile since most STITCHING is directionally oriented. Still further, fiber canvas is not perfectly true and when printed the design does not properly align with the gridwork thus resulting in an inoperative method of indicating STITCH location. Although polypropylene canvas is substantially geometrically true, it is not readily printed upon due to ink adhesion problems. Thus, designs are shown by separate charts indicating the location of STITCHES and yarn colors on the gridwork. In using these charts, the craftsperson must refer to the chart, stitch the canvas and then refer back to the chart before proceeding. In some instances, several stitches may be made without referral to the chart depending on the experience of the craftsperson and the simplicity of the design; nevertheless, constant cross-reference between the chart and the workpiece is necessary.
A large portion of the designs in needlepoint are symmetrical wherein a particular pattern is repeated in a single workpiece. Thus, halves, thirds, quarters, eighths, etc. of the workpiece are mirror images of their corresponding symmetrical segment or segments. These symmetrical designs may be rectangular or paths of a specific geometric form about the canvas. Another symmetrical design form in needlepoint is referred to as Bargello and Florentine; these are zig-zag or arcuate repeating patterns as opposed to the horizontal or vertical patterns previously described. The Bargello or Florentine stitches are sometimes referred to as "flame stitches" since they do not follow a horizontal or vertical path.
In accordance with the present invention, a method and apparatus for sewing symmetrical designs on a canvas is provided which may be easily used by the craftsperson.